Alumni in the Field - Karen Maxwell Hudson, SW’80
Helping to heal and empower the homeless

Karen Maxwell Hudson has come a long way since her second field placement at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where she was the first social work student ever hired into a permanent position. Today, she is Program Manager for The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Homeless Health Initiative (HHI), helping some of the 2,500 children that use Philadelphia’s homeless shelters each year receive much-needed health services and health education. Karen also is an adjunct professor at the School of Social Policy & Practice and is in the inaugural class of INSIGHTS, a minority leadership training program at CHOP. Karen took a moment from her busy schedule to talk with SP2’s Alumni Relations Office.

1) Why did your pursue your masters degree in social work from Penn?

I received my Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Boston University. It just seemed like a natural progression to obtain my MSW because I was interested in social work.

2) What was your first job after you graduated?

My first field placement was at HUP in the department of GYN Oncology. After that experience I knew I didn’t want to work in this area, but preferred working with children.  I did my second year field placement at CHOP, where I received a combination of direct and administrative experiences. Immediately after graduation, I was hired as a hospital social worker there working in the Neonatal Infant Care Unit (NICU) and Infant Transitional Nursery.

3) How did this contribute to what you are doing today, e.g. did you start off in child welfare and migrate to another segment of social work?

When I first came to Philadelphia, I liked what I was doing. My plan was to leave in a couple of years, but I was still having fun and enjoying the meaningful experiences. After working with families in the NICU, I worked with families of children who had been abused and with developmental disabilities. Working with “kids and families” in a health setting has always been a common thread in my work.

I left CHOP to go to work at the Philadelphia Children’s Seashore House, which was a rehabilitation hospital for children with special health and rehabilitation needs. There I was first introduced to interdisciplinary teamwork in its truest sense. In my latter years at the Seashore House, I also helped the organization to become much more connected to the community. Working along side of Symme Trachtenberg, another Penn alum, our efforts brought Community Education funds into the organization by conducting community trainings. Eventually, The Seashore House merged with CHOP, and the Community Education Department was born.

4) Tell me about the project that you are currently involved with at CHOP?

It is called the Homeless Health Initiative (HHI). The HHI is a voluntary health outreach program that provides health and dental screenings to children in homeless shelters as well as health education and parenting skills training.  It started nearly 20 years ago when pediatric residents at CHOP wanted to provide free health care to kids in local homeless shelters.  Eventually, the program was placed under the Community Education Department, which is when I became involved. HHI not only works with hospital physicians, dentists, nurses and medical and dental students from Penn to provide health services to children in shelters, but the program also serves as a “good-will ambassador.”  By providing medical services, we help to break down some of the barriers that may exist between CHOP and the community. I am pleased to have been a significant contributor to the HHI being named a “Best Practices Model” in Philadelphia and to the HHI model being presented at an international conference in Japan. Currently, I am very excited about educating others about our model and assisting others to replicate our model around the region and eventually around the nation.

5) What population does the HHI serve?

We serve children and mothers in homeless shelters in the Philadelphia region. Our goal is to empower communities and kids through healthcare.

6) How is the HHI funded?

We are primarily grant funded and have several friends and supporters who help us in a number of different ways.  For example, CHOP’s Ambulatory and Nursing departments sponsored two separate fundraising dinners.  Power 99 helped up to spread the word about HHI on the airwaves via an interview with myself  and one of the mothers from a local shelter. City Lights underwrote a portion of our recent conference, which we held in conjunction with National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.  Last, but not least, Radian – a Financial Mortgage company in Philadelphia has been very generous to us. These are just a few of those that have lent us their support. Additionally, anyone who is interested in helping in anyway can visit the website at http://www.chop.edu/hhi.

7) How/when did you start teaching at SP2?

After the Seashore House/CHOP merger, I cut back on my hours and had some extra time. At the same time, I was approached and interviewed for a position at the School. I started as a TA, in an Advanced Practice Class with Dr. Bobbie Iverson. Another year I was a TA with Dr. Carol Spigner, and eventually I began teaching on my own and have had the pleasure of teaching foundations practice, Advanced Standing students during the summer, and at the Muhlenberg campus part-time student program.

8) In your opinion, what are the downsides of social work? What are the upsides?

A downside is that as a social worker, one must be strong enough to get beyond other people’s perceptions. Each person is writing his or her own story and has the opportunity and challenge to change people’s perceptions. Everything is about education.

An upside obviously is the positive impact you can have on an individual’s or individuals’ life/lives.  It is rewarding to know that you have perhaps helped someone to change their life and the lives of their children through something you have done.

9) What would you say have been the highlights of your career thus far?

I enjoy working with social work students and other health care professionals, such as medical students and resident physicians.  I also gain tremendous satisfaction when I feel that I am giving something back to the field of social work.

I feel I have found a niche, a passion in working with communities to both help them heal and to be empowered.

10) What would you say has been your favorite social work position?

I’d have to say my current position.  Experiencing the thrill of our recent first and very successful HHI Regional conference where we were presented with a Resolution from the City of Philadelphia honoring the work and contributions of the HHI was definitely a career highlight. Being a part of a movement to create real social change has proven that anything is possible and that the sky is the limit!

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